Isaiah 64:1-9a
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Mark 13:(24-32)33-37
Psalm 80 or 80:1-7
Who knows what today is? the first Sunday of Advent.
Does anyone know what Advent is? Advent is the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when we get ready for the baby Jesus to come.
This morning I'd like to tell you a story about when I was a little girl. Now this story is about my Grandma instead of Uncle Dick.
Whenever I went to visit at the farm where Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Lou and Uncle Dick and my cousins all lived, my Grandma would always take me to visit a very old lady that lived a few miles away. Her name was Mattie.
Now Mattie couldn't walk and she never even went outside. It was kind of dark in her house, and it was always hot and stuffy, and I really didn't like to go there very much. But Grandma would always say that we had to go and visit her because she couldn't come and visit us.
So one morning when I was about Maway's age, Grandma told me that we were going to go and visit Mattie. Well I didn't want to go because I was very busy making a bed for the kittens that had just arrived, and so I said that I'd rather stay at the farm.
But Grandma said that I had to go because Jesus had given us a gift for her - but she wouldn't tell me what it was. Every time I asked her what it was, she'd just smile and say, "You'll see." And I was really curious because I could not figure out what Jesus had given us - I didn't remember getting any gift.
So we went to visit Mattie and the whole time I was waiting to find out what the gift was - and I never saw a thing! So on the way home I asked Grandma why we hadn't given Mattie the gift.
But Grandma said, "you did give the gift to Mattie." Well I was really confused by now - and I said so. And do you know what she said? She said, "Don't you remember that great big smile Mattie had on her face when she saw you? She didn't have that big smile before you came. You gave it to her."
Well, I remembered the smile - but I said to Grandma, "I thought that smile was for me. It made me feel happy inside when she smiled."
And Grandma said, "Well then, that's a Jesus-gift. You think you're giving it to someone else and it turns out they're giving it to you."
And after that, I liked visiting Mattie a lot more than I ever did before.
So what kinds of things could we do to give people Jesus-gifts? What kinds of things could give someone a great big smile? Help people out. Visit someone who is lonely. Do something nice for someone. Do your chores before Mom has to remind you to do them.
If we work on doing those kinds of things during Advent, then we would all have lots of Jesus gifts by the time the Baby Jesus gets here. I think he'd like that - don't you?
Here are some little cards to help you remember to give away lots of Jesus gifts.
Isaiah tells us that the Israelites had quit talking to God because they thought God wasn't listening. How often do we find ourselves in such a place? Pretty sure that God isn't listening, so there doesn't seem to be much point in talking to God. And if God isn't listening to us, then why should we listen for God?
It's Advent again - already. Can you believe it? It can't possibly be here already - but it is - like it or not It's that time of the year when the Church calls us to stillness and quiet reflection while everything else in the world seems to be calling us to hectic activity at a breakneck speed - getting the kids to the Christmas Concerts on time, making sure that all the shopping is done, trying to figure out what to get Aunt Mildred this year - even though you know that Aunt Mildred will never like anything you get her anyway.
The frenzy of holiday baking and crafting and decorating is about to descend. We close our eyes for a moment of quiet reflection and what do we see? The spilled cranberry jelly on Susy's new dress, the Christmas tree lights that worked last year and aren't working this year, the clothes that probably won't fit and will have to be returned ... we sigh... our shoulders droop and we wonder how are we supposed to find a way to be quiet and talk with God? How on earth are we going to even hear God in all of this hubbub? And even if God were listening, how would God hear us?
I often wonder just what God thinks of all of this. I expect that God laughs a lot - and I expect that God also sheds a good many tears. We get so wrapped up in the fever of the Season, that despite our best efforts we become so easily lost that we often don't even realize it until we stop for a minute, look around and wonder just where we are and how we got here.
Perhaps it's those moments when we are most likely to hear God calling us. Those moments when we are lost and confused, tired and discouraged. When God seems to pull us up short and say, "Hey there, listen up - let's not entirely forget whose birthday is coming. What is it that you're planning to get the babe in the manger for his birthday?"
And all the hubbub begins to melt away - we find ourselves in a place where we can perhaps really hear God.. If we listen carefully.
But... what does God sound like? What does the babe in the manger want for his birthday? How will we know? The frenzy and panic starts to bubble up again... we'll never get it right anyway - maybe next year. I don't have enough time this year. I've got to get busy - there' re just too many things to do.
But wait! Listen!
Can you hear him? He's calling out - he's asking us to listen. And he's telling us what he wants for his birthday.
Listen. Listen to the hollow echo of hunger in that old man's voice - the babe needs food and drink for him.
Listen. Can you hear the fear in the voice of that young woman who is lost? we could welcome her for the babe and help her find her way.
Listen. Do your hear the loneliness in that old woman's sigh? Perhaps we could go and sing some carols at her door - for the babe.
Listen - can you hear the low moan of that young man dying of aids? We could sit beside his bed with a basin of cool water and a washcloth to wash his face. We could do that for the babe.
Listen - do you hear the lonely song of a prisoner who's been left behind and forgotten? We could write to him and let him know he's remembered and cared about - we could do that in the name of the babe.
Perhaps this Advent, when you manage to find those stray moments to close your eyes and shut out the frenzy and hubbub of the Season - you might be very, very still and listen - listen for what the babe is asking for - for his birthday. So that when Christmas morning arrives you will have a very special gift for the birthday child.
Oh it won't be beautifully wrapped and sitting under the tree. No - it probably was never wrapped in the first place and most likely it will have already been opened and used. But his great pleasure in your gift will be shimmering in your heart like a warm glow - and in the distance, if you listen very carefully - you just might hear a child's laughter filled with joy and peace and goodwill to all.
AMEN.